Data protection

Data Privacy Statement in Accordance with Art. 13 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU)

Protecting your personal data is very important to us. Therefore, we use the personal data we collect exclusively in accordance with the applicable regulations on data protection. The following text explains in more detail what exactly this means. 

This Data Privacy Statement was last updated on 24 May 2018. As we continue to develop and update our website and implement new technologies, it may become necessary to adapt this Data Privacy Statement. We therefore recommend that you re-read the Data Privacy Statement on a regular Basis.

1. What kind of data does VSB collect about me?

We collect and store your personal data (e.g. name, address, phone number or email address) if and to the extent that this is necessary to continue our business operations in an economical manner (Art. 6 Sec. 1 (f) GDPR) and only if your data are is available from a publicly accessible source such as the internet or a business directory or if you submit your data to us in a different way, e.g. 

• by using the online application form or the contact form on our website,
• by sending us an enquiry via mail or email, or
• by submitting your data in the context of the conclusion of a contract or in the form of a Business Card.

We do not collect any personal data if you use our website for information purposes only. In this case, our web server uses so-called server log files to store the following information by default: used browser, operating system, your computer’s shortened and anonymised IP address, previously visited websites, access time, and the amount of data sent. This information cannot be used to identify you. Such data is collected in accordance with Art. 6 Sec. 1 (f) GDPR and exclusively used for the purpose of data safety and security and for statistical evaluation. This data are not used to create individual user profiles. It is also not shared with any third parties. 

In order to optimise our website, we use so-called cookies, i.e. small text files that are stored on your computer and allow us to analyse your use of our website. We use Google Analytics to analyse such data. Google Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google Inc. (USA). Based on the agreement on contract data processing that we, the website operator, have concluded with Google, Google collects statistical data on user behaviour on this website, thus enabling an anonymised statistical evaluation. This analysis affords an insight into the amount of visitors to our site, duration of access, browser type, or source of visitors. In addition, we use Google Analytics reports on demographic characteristics, which utilise data from Google’s interest-based advertising as well as visitor data provided by third parties (e.g. age, gender, and interests). Such data cannot be used to identify a specific person. 

Cookies are unable to run applications or transmit viruses. Personal data can only be stored in a cookie if you have agreed to it or if it is absolutely necessary for technical reasons, e.g. in order to facilitate a secure login. The information concerning your website use compiled by the cookie is usually transferred to and stored on a Google server located in the USA. As part of this process, the IP addresses of users are shortened within EU member states, member states of the European Economic Area, and other GDPR member states. The IP address may be transferred to a Google server in the US unshortened and be shortened there in individual cases. Once your IP address has been shortened, it can no longer be used to identify you. The IP address transmitted by the browser is not linked with any other data stored by Google. Google LLC adheres to the provisions of the European data protection legislation and has been certified under the Privacy Shield framework (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active). 

You may prevent cookies from being stored on your computer by adjusting your browser settings. However, we would like to point out that if you choose to do so, you may not be able to use all features on this website to their full extent. In addition, you may prevent Google from collecting the data compiled by the cookie on your use of the Website and from processing the data by downloading and installing the browser plugin available at the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en.